Mulally, Teresa
Mulally, Teresa (1728–1803), educationist, businesswoman, and philanthropist, was born in October 1728, in Pill Lane, near Chancery Street, Dublin, the only child of Daniel and Elizabeth Mulally. While she was young, her father, a provisions dealer, retired from his business and…...
Mulcahy, John Augustine (‘Jack’)
Mulcahy, John Augustine (‘Jack’) (1906–94), industrialist, businessman, and philanthropist, was born 26 August 1906 at Dungarvan, Co. Waterford, fifth among twelve children of Patrick Mulcahy, town clerk of Waterford , and Mary Mulcahy (née O'Shea). He was educated locally in the…...
Mulchinock, John
Mulchinock, John (1781?–1863), merchant and benefactor, was the son of Nicholas and Christiana Mulchinock, and was baptised into the Church of Ireland in Tralee, Co. Kerry, on 2 March 1781. Nothing is known for certain of his early life but, as a young man, he may have been at sea…...
Mullen, Madeleine ffrench-
Mullen, Madeleine ffrench- (1880–1944), nationalist and social advocate, was born 30 December 1880 in Malta, eldest child among two daughters and one son of St Laurence ffrench-Mullen, a Royal Navy surgeon. While she was a child, her father moved the family back to Ireland and they…...
Murray, James Andrew
Murray, James Andrew (1840–1921), businessman, was born in 1840 in Co. Clare, the eldest of five sons and one daughter of Michael Murray and his wife Ann (née MacNamara), of whom little is known. The family emigrated to Canada about 1845, and in 1858 at age eighteen, James left for the…...
Nicholson, Asenath
Nicholson, Asenath (1792–1855), traveller and social reformer, was born 24 February 1792, youngest child and only daughter among three children of Michael Hatch (c.1747–1830), farmer, and his wife, Martha (maiden name unknown; 1745–1837), in Chelsea, Vermont, USA. Educated at…...
Nolan, Christopher
Nolan, Christopher (1965–2009), writer and advocate for the disabled, was born 6 September 1965 in the county hospital in Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, second and youngest child (he had an elder sister) of Joseph Nolan, psychiatric nurse and small farmer, and his wife Bernadette (née Martin…...
O'Brien (Arnold-Forster), Florence Mary
O'Brien (Arnold-Forster), Florence Mary (1854–1936), diarist, philanthropist, and craftswoman, was born 3 July 1854 in Bayswater, London, the second of four children of William Delafield Arnold and Frances Anne Arnold (née Hodgson). Her father, a son of Dr Thomas Arnold of Rugby and…...
O'Brien, Denis Thomas
O'Brien, Denis Thomas (1736?–1814), merchant, catholic politician, and benefactor, was the younger son of Thomas O'Brien (d. 1756) of Fairfield, near Ahascragh, Co. Galway, and his wife Mary (1710?–83), a daughter of Christopher French of Tyrone, Co. Galway. Thomas was in business as a…...
O'Brien, Francis Cruise
O'Brien, Francis Cruise (1885–1927), journalist, author, and cooperationist, was born 18 November 1885, at 6 Grantham St., Dublin, one of two children of John Cruise O’Brien, a law clerk, and Mary Cruise O’Brien (née Lally); his sister, Cathleen, married the novelist…...
O'Brien, Anna Maria (née Ball)
O'Brien, Anna Maria (née Ball) (1785–1871), philanthropist, was born at 5 Werburgh Street in Dublin, the second eldest of five children (four girls and a boy) of John Ball (qv), a wealthy Dublin silk manufacturer, merchant, and catholic convert,…...
O'Donnell, Charles James O'Cahan
O'Donnell, Charles James O'Cahan (1850–1934), civil servant, politician, and controversialist, was probably born 28 May 1850 at Port Louis, Mauritius, youngest son of Capt. Bernard MacDonald of the Northumberland Fusiliers, from Carndonagh, Co. Donegal, and Mary MacDonald (née…...
O'Donohue, Maura
O'Donohue, Maura (1933–2015), missionary doctor and public health campaigner, was born on 2 March 1933 at Likeen, her family home in Kilfenora, Co. Clare, the second of four children (two girls and two boys) of Andrew O’Donohue, a farmer, and his wife Kate (née O’Brien). Mary Brigid, as…...
O'Hanlon, Paddy (Patrick Michael)
O'Hanlon, Paddy (Patrick Michael) (1944–2009), political activist, community worker, barrister and author, was born in Drogheda, Co. Louth, on 8 May 1944, second of seven children of Paddy O'Hanlon, butcher and Old IRA veteran, and his wife Margaret (née Grant). Both parents came from…...
O'Leary, Con
O'Leary, Con (1915–98), pioneer of the co-operative movement, was born 18 May 1915 in Glendine, Inchigeela, west Co. Cork, son of Daniel O'Leary, farmer, and Kate O'Leary (née Barrett). He was educated at the local national school, before being forced to leave school to work on…...
O'Mahony, Donal
O'Mahony, Donal (1936–2010), Capuchin priest and activist for social justice, was born on 2 August 1936 in Blackrock, Cork, son of Jeremiah O'Mahony and his wife Ellen (née Walsh). He was educated at Rochestown College, and then trained as a sports journalist with the Irish…...
Orpen, Edward Richards Richards-
Orpen, Edward Richards Richards- (1884–1967), agriculturalist, conservationist and senator, was born Edward Richards Orpen on 20 October 1884 in London, the son of Goddard Henry Orpen (qv) and his wife…...
Overend, Letitia Lily Anne Letham
Overend, Letitia Lily Anne Letham (1880–1977), philanthropist and motor enthusiast, was born 15 July 1880 at 11 Herbert Road, Dublin, the elder daughter of Trevor T. L. Overend, a successful solicitor, and Bessie Anna Overend (née Butler), better known as Lily. She had one sister,…...
Owens, Evelyn
Owens, Evelyn (1931–2010), trade unionist and women's rights advocate, was born on 22 January 1931 at 23 Vernon Gardens, Clontarf, Dublin, the fourth of six children of William Owens, a civil servant of Clontarf, originally from Co. Roscommon, and his wife Ellen (née Monaghan), from…...
Patterson, Robert James
Patterson, Robert James (1868–1930), presbyterian minister and temperance campaigner, was born 1 January 1868 in Ballymoyer, Whitecross, Co. Armagh, second son of Samuel Patterson and Margaret Patterson (née Ranton). His father was probably a farmer, but a half-brother and three…...
Patterson, Sarah (‘Saidie’)
Patterson, Sarah (‘Saidie’) (1904–85), trade unionist and peace activist, was born 25 November 1904 at 32 Woodvale St., Shankill Road, Belfast, eldest of three children of William Patterson (d. 1912), shipyard blacksmith, and Sarah Patterson (née Moore), both of whom were devout…...
Pennefather, William
Pennefather, William (1816–73), evangelist, philanthropist, and hymn writer, was born 5 February 1816 at 5 Merrion Square, Dublin, the youngest son of the eight children of Richard Pennefather (qv), chief baron of the exchequer in…...
Phelan, Jim (James Leo)
Phelan, Jim (James Leo) (1895–1966), writer, activist and tramp, was born in Inchicore, Dublin, the third child and eldest son of five surviving children (three daughters and two sons; two others died in childhood) of James Phelan, ironworker at the Inchicore railway works, and his wife…...
Pike, Ebenezer
Pike, Ebenezer (1806–83), shipowner and philanthropist, was born 25 March 1806 in Cork, eldest son of two sons of Joseph Pike and his second wife, Lydia Fennell of Cahir Abbey, Cahir, Co. Tipperary. Joseph Pike (1768–1826), banker, was born in Cork, second among two sons and one…...
Pim, Jonathan
Pim, Jonathan (1806–85), merchant, politician, and philanthropist, was born in Dublin, the eldest of seven children of Thomas Pim (qv), merchant, and Mary Pim (née Harvey), of Youghal, Co. Cork. The Pims were prominent quakers, established…...